Fire and Power on the River Basin: Irregular Warfare and Socio-Environmental Consequences of the Guerrilla in Araguaia, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract The aim of this article is to retrace a guerrilla episode that occurred in the Amazon region of Araguaia during the military dictatorship in Brazil (1972-1975), opposing a group of militants from the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB) and the National Brazilian Army. Taking advantage of the geographical characteristics of the region, a small group of guerrilla fighters was able to confront a large military contingent for almost three years. As this article demonstrates, appealing to the powerful symbolic potential of the Amazon jungle, the guerrilla created a solid environmental narrative of force and shrewdness supported by the local population. However, as military forces began to better explore the region and to resort to irregular warfare strategies, they managed to curb the guerrilla, exterminating almost every member involved in the fight. Finally, this article looks at the marked socio-environmental scars that the conflict left in the region, and how these influenced social, political and ecological equilibriums during the following decades.